OF THE BATTLE OF MANASSAS, VA., FOUGHT JULY 21st, 1861. HEAD-QUARTERS, FIRST CORPS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GENERAL: The War Department having been informed by me, by telegraph on the 17th of July, of the movement of General McDowell, General Johnston was immediately ordered to form a junction of his army corps with mine, should the movement, in his judgment, be deemed advisable. General Bolmes was also directed to push forward with two regiments, a battery and one company of cavalry. In view of these propositions, approaching reenforcements modifying my plan of operations so far as to determine on attacking the enemy at Centreville as soon as I should hear of the near approach of the two reenforcing columns, I sent one of my aids, Colonel Chrisholm, of South Carolina, to meet and communicate my plans to General Johnston, and my wish that one portion of his force should march by the way of Aldie, and take the enemy on his right flank and in the rear at Centreville. Difficulties, however, of an insuperable character in connection with means of transportation, and the marching condition of his troops, made this impracticable, and it was determined our forces should be united within the lines of Bull Run, and thence advance to the attack of the enemy. General Johnston arrived here about noon on the 20th July, and being my senior in rank, he necessarily assumed command of all the force of the Confederate States, then concentrating at this point. Made acquainted with my plan of operations and dispositions to meet the enemy, he gave them his entire approval, and generously directed their execution under my command. In consequence of the untoward detention, however, of some five thousand (5,000) of General Johns- ! ton's army corps, resulting from the inadequate and imperfect means of transportation for so many troops, at the disposition of the Manassas Gap Railroad, it became necessary, on the morning of the 21st, before daylight, to modify the plan accepted to suit the contingency of an immediate attack on our lines by the main force of the enemy, then plainly at hand. The enemy's forces, reported by their hest-informed journals to be fifty-five thousand strong, I had learned from reliable sources, on the night of the 20th, were being concentrated in and around Centreville, and along the Warrenton turnpike road, to Bull Run, near which our respective pickets were in immediate proximity. This fact, with the conviction that, after his signal discomfiture on the 18th of July, before Blackburn's Ford-the centre of my lines-he would not renew the attack in that quarter, induced me at once to look for an attempt on my left flank, resting on the Stone Bridge, which was but weakly guarded by men, as well as but slightly provided with artificial defensive appliances and artillery. In view of these palpable military conditions, by half-past four A. M., on the 21st July, I had prepared and dispatched orders, directing the whole of the Confederate forces within the lines of Bull Run, including the brigades, and regiments of General Johnston, which had arrived at that time, to be held in readiness to march at a moment's notice. At that hour the following was the disposition of our forces: Ewell's brigade, constituted as on the 18th of July, remained in position at Union Mills Ford, his left extending along Bull Run, in the direction of McLean's Ford, and supported by Holmes' brigade, Second Tennessee and First Arkansas regiments a short distance to the rear-that is, at and neзr Camp Wigfall. D. R. Jones' brigade, from Ewell's left, in front of McLean's Ford, and along the stream to Longstreet's position. It was unchanged in organization, and was supported by Early's brigade, also unchanged, placed behind a thicket of young pines, a short distance in the rear of McLean's Ford. Longstreet's brigade held its former ground at Blackburn's Ford, from Jones' left to Bonham's right, at Mitchell's Ford, and was supported by Jackson's brigade, consisting of Colonels James L. Preston's Fourth, Harper's Fifth, Allen's Second, the Twenty-seventh, Lieutenant-Colonel Echoll's, and the Thirty-third, Cumming's Virginia regiments, two thousand six hundred and eleven strong, which were posted behind the skirting of pines to the rear of Blackburn's and Mitchell's Fords, and in the rear of this support was also Barksdale's Thirteenth regiment Mississippi volunteers, which had lately arrived from Lynchburg. Along the edge of a pine thicket, in rear of, and equidistant from McLean's and Blackburn's Fords, ready to support either position, I had also placed all of Bee's and Bartow's brigades that had arrived -namely, two companies of the Eleventh Mississip pi, Lieutenant-Colonel Liddell; the Second Mississippi, Colonel Faulkner; and the Alabama, with the Seventh and Eighth Georgia regiments, (Colonel Gartrell and Lieutenant-Colonel Gardner,) in all BEAUREGARD'S OFFICIAL REPORT. two thousand seven hundred and thirty-two bayonets. Bonham's brigade, as before, held Mitchell's Ford, its right near Longstreet's left, its left extending in the direction of Cocke's right. It was organized as at the end of the 18th of July, with Jackson's brigade, as before said, as a support. Cocke's brigade, increased by seven companies of the Eighth, Hunton's; three companies of the Forty-ninth, Smith's Virginia regiments; two companies of cavalry, and a battery under Rogers of four six-pounders, occupied the line in front and rear of Bull Run, extending from the direction of Bonham's left, and guarding Island, Ball's, and Lewis' Fords, to the right of Evans' demi-brigade, near the Stone Bridge, also under General Cocke's command. The latter held the Stone Bridge, and its left covered a farm ford about one mile above the bridge. Stuart's cavalry, some three hundred men of the army of the Shenandoah, guarded the level ground extending in rear from Bonham's left to Cocke's right. 1 Two companies of Radford's cavalry were held in reserve a short distance in rear of Mitchell's Ford, his left extending in the direction of Stuart's right. Colonel Pendleton's reserve battery of eight pieces was temporarly placed in rear of Bonham's extreme left. Major Walton's reserve battery of five guns was in position on McLean's farm, in a piece of woods in rear of Bee's right. Hampton's legion of six companies of infantry, six hundred strong, having arrived that morning by the cars from Richmond, was subsequently, as soon as it arrived, ordered forward to a position in immediate vicinity of the Lewis House, as a support for any troops engaged in that quarter. The effective force of all arms of the army of the Potomac on that eventful morning, including the garrison of Camp Pickens, did not exceed twentyone thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, and twenty-nine guns. The army of the Shenandoah, ready for action on the field, may be set at six thousand men and twenty guns. [That is, when the battle begun. Smith's brigade and Fisher's North Carolina came up later, and made a total of army of Shenandoah engaged of all arms, eight thousand three hundred and thirty-four. Hill's Virginia regiment, five hundred and fifty, also arrived, but was posted as reserve to right flank.] The brigade of General Holmes mustered about one thousand two hundred and sixty-five bayonets, six guns, and a company of cavalry about ninety trong. 497 Informed at half-past five A. M., by Colonel Evans, that the enemy had deployed some twelve hundred men, [these were what Colonel Evans saw of General Schenck's brigade of General Tyler's division and two other heavy brigades, in all over nine thousand men and thirteen pieces of artillery-Carlisle's and Ayres' batteries. That is, nine hundred men and two six-pounders, confronted by nine thousand men and thirteen pieces of artillery, mostly rifled,] with several pieces of artillery in his immediate front, I at once ordered him, as also General Cocke, if attacked, to maintain their position to the last extremity. In my opinion the most effective method of relieving that flank was by a rapid, determined attack, with my right wing and centre on the enemy's flank and rear at Centreville, with due precautions against the advance of his reserves from the direction of Washington. By such a movement I confidently expected to achieve a complete victory for my country by twelve o'clock M. These new dispositions were submitted to General Johnston, who fully approved them, and the orders for their immediate execution were at once issued. Brigadier-General Ewell was directed to begin the movement, to be followed and supported successively by Generals D. R. Jones, Longstreet, and Bonham respectively, supported by their several appointed reserves. The cavalry, under Stuart and Radford, were to be held in hand, subject to future orders and ready for employment as might be required by the exi gencies of the battle. About half-past eight o'clock A. M., General Johnston and myself transferred our head-quarters to a cen tral position about half a mile in the rear of Mitchell's Ford, whence we might watch the course of events. Previously, as early as half-past five, the Federalists in front of Evans' position, Stone Bridge, had opened with a large thirty-pounder, Parrot rifle gun, and thirty minutes later with a moderate apparently tentative, fire from a battery of rifle pieces, directed first in front at Evans' and then in the direction of Cocke's position, but without drawing a return fire and discovery of our positions, chiefly because in that quarter we had nothing but eight six-pounder pieces, which could not reach the distant enemy. As the Federalists had advanced with an extended line of skirmishers in front of Evans, that officer promptly threw forward the two flank companies of the Fourth South Carolina regiment, and one company of Wheat's Louisiana battalion, deployed as skirmishers, to cover his small front. An occasional scattering fire resulted, and thus the two armies in that quarter remained for more than an honr, while the main body of the enemy was march ing its dubious way through the "big forest" to take our forces in flank and rear. By half-past eight A. M., Colonel Evans having become satisfied of the counterfeit character of the movement on his front, and persuaded of an attempt to turn his left flank, decided to change his position to meet the enemy, and for this purpose immediately put in motion to his left and rear six companies of Sloan's Fourth South Carolina regiment, Wheat's Louisiana battalions, five companies, and two sixpounders of Latham's battery, leaving four companies of Sloan's regiment under cover as the sole immediate defense of the Stone Bridge, but giving information to General Cocke of his change of position and the reasons that impelled it. the Federal regular army, of two strong brigades, was in the advance, followed immediately by another division under Colonel Heintzelman, of three brigades and seven companies of regular cavalry and twenty-four pieces of artillery-eighteen of which were rifle guns. This column, as it crossed Bull Run, numbered over sixteen thousand men of all arms, by their own accounts. Burnside's brigade, which here, as at Fairfax Court House, led the advance, at about forty-five minutes past nine A. M., debouched from a wood in sight of Evans' position, some five hundred yards distant from Wheat's battalion. He immediately threw forward his skirmishers in force, and they became engaged with Wheat's command and the six-pounder gun under Lieutenant Leftwich. Following a road leading by the Old Pittsylvania (Carter) mansion, Colonel Evans formed in line of battle some four hundred yards in rear-as he advanced-of that house, his guns to the front and in position, properly supported, to its immediate right. Finding, however, that the enemy did not appear on that road, which was a branch of one running by Sudley's Springs Ford to Brentsville and Dumfries, he turned abruptly to the left, and marching across the fields for three-quarters of a mile, about half-past nine A. M., took a position in line of battle his left, Sloan's companies, resting on the main Brentsville road in a shallow ravine, the Louisiana battalion to the right, in advance some two hundred yards, a rectangular course of wood separating them-one piece of his artillery planted on an eminence some seven hundred yards to the rear Despite these odds, this intrepid command of but of Wheat's battalion, and the other on a ridge near eleven weak companies maintained its front to the and in rear of Sloan's position, commanding a enemy for quite an hour, and until General Bee reach of the road just in front of the line of battle. came to their aid with his command. The heroic In this order he awaited the coming of the masses Bee, with a soldier's eye and recognition of the sitof the enemy now drawing near. uation, had previously disposed his command with In the mean time, about seven o'clock A. M., Jack-skill-Imboden's battery having been admirably son's brigade, with Imboden's, and five pieces of placed between the two brigades, under shelter beWalton's battery, had been sent to take up a posi-hind the undulations of a hill about one hundred tion along Bull Run to guard the interval between Cocke's right and Bonham's left, with orders to The Federalists at once advanced, as they report officially, the Second Rhode Island regiment volunteers, with its vaunted battery of six thirteenpounder rifle guns. Sloan's companies were then brought into action, having been pushed forward through the woods. The enemy, soon galled and staggered by the fire, and pressed by the determined valor with which Wheat handled his battery, until he was desperately wounded, hastened up three other regiments of the brigade and two Dahlgren howitzers, making in all quite three thousand five hundred bayonets and eight pieces of artillery, opposed to less than eight hundred men and two six-pounder guns. support either in case of need-the character and topographical features of the ground having been shown to General Jackson by D. R. Harris, of the Engineers, of his army corps. So much of Bee's and Bartow's brigades, now united, as had arrived some two thousand eight hundred muskets-had also been sent forward to the support of the position of the Stone Bridge. The enemy beginning his detour from the turn pike, at a point nearly half way between Stone Bridge and Centreville, had pursued a tortuous, narrow trace of a rarely used road, through a dense wood, the greater part of his way, until near the Sudley road. A division under Colonel Hunter, of and fifty yards north of the now famous Henry House, and very near where he subsequently fell mortally wounded, to the great misfortune of his country, but after deeds of deliberate and evermemorable courage. Meanwhile, the enemy had pushed forward a battalion of eight companies of regular infantry, and one of their best batteries of six pieces, (four rifled,) supported by four companies of marines, to increase the desperate odds against which Evans and his men had maintained their stand with an al BEAUREGARD'S OFFICIAL REPORT. 499 Young's Branch and Valley-and engaged the Fed- | emy's ranks constantly broken and shattered under eralists with impetuosity; Imboden's battery at the time playing from his well-chosen position with brilliant effect with spherical-case, the enemy having first opened on him from a rifle battery, probably Griffin's, with elongated cylindrical shells, which flew a few feet over the heads of our men, and exploded in the crest of the hill immediately in the rear. A As Bee advanced under a severe fire he placed the Seventh and Eighth Georgia regiments, under the chivalrous Bartow, at about eleven A. M., in a wood of second-growth pines, to the right and front of and nearly perpendicular to Evans' line of battle; the Fourth Alabama to the left of them, along a fence connecting the position of the Georgia regiments with the rectangular copse in which Sloan's South Carolina companies were engaged, and into which he also threw the Second Mississippi. fierce and destructive conflict now ensued; the fire was withering on both sides, while the enemy swept our short, thin lines with their numerous artillery, which, according to their official reports, at this time consisted of at least ten rifle guns and four howitzers. For an hour did these stout-hearted men of the blended commands of Bee, Evans and Bartow breast an unintermitting battle storm, animated, surely, by something more than the ordinary courage of even the bravest men under fire; it must have been indeed the inspiration of the cause, and consciousness of the great stake at issue which thus nerved and animated one and all to stand unawed and unshrinking in such extremity. Two Federal brigades of Heintzelman's division were now brought into action, led by Rickett's superb light battery of six ten-pounder rifle guns, which, posted on an eminence to the right of the Sudley road, opened fire on Imboden's batteryabout this time increased by two rifle pieces of the Washington artillery, under Lieutenant Richardson, and already the mark of two batteries which divided their fire with Imboden, and two guns, under Licutenants Davidson and Leftwich, of Latham's battery, posted as before mentioned. At this time, confronting the enemy, we had still but Evans' eleven companies and two guns---Bee's and Bartow's four regiments, the two companies of the Eleventh Mississippi, under Lieutenant-Colonel Liddell, and the six pieces under Imboden and Richardson. The enemy had two divisions of four strong brigades, including seventeen companies of regular infantry, cavalry and artillery, four companies of marines, and twenty pieces of artillery. [See official reports of Colonels Heintzelman, Porter, &c.] Against this odds, scarcely credible, our advance position was still for a while maintained, and the en the scorching fire of our men; but fresh regiments of the Federalists came upon the field-Sherman's and Keyes' brigades of Tyler's division-as is stated in their reports, numbering over six thousand bayonets, which had found a passage across the run about eight hundred yards above the Stone Bridge, threatened our right. Heavy losses had now been sustained on our side, both in numbers and in the personal worth of the slain. The Georgia regiment had suffered heavily, being exposed, as it took and maintained its position, to a fire from the enemy, already posted within a hundred yards of their front and right, sheltered by fences and other cover. It was at this time that Lieutenant-Colonel Gardner was severely wounded, as also several other valuable officers; the Adjutant of the regiment, Lieutenant Branch, was killed, and the horse of the regretted Bartow was shot under him. The Fourth Alabama also suffered severely from the deadly fire of the thousands of muskets which they so dauntlessly fronted under the immediate leadership of Bee himself. Its brave Colonel, E. J. Jones, was dangerously wounded, and many gallant officers fell, slain or hors de combat. Now, however, with the surging mass of over fourteen thousand Federal infantry pressing on their front, and under the incessant fire of at least twenty pieces of artillery, with the fresh brigades of Sherman and Keyes approaching-the latter already in musket range-our lines gave back, but under orders from General Bee. The enemy, maintaining the fire, pressed their swelling masses onward as our shattered battalions retired; the slaughter for the moment was deplorable, and has filled many a Southern home with lifelong sorrow. Under this inexorable stress the retreat continued until arrested by the energy and resolution of General Bee, supported by Bartow and Evans, just in the rear of the Robinson House, and Hampton's Legion, which had been already advanced, and was in position near it. Imboden's battery, which had been handled with marked skill, but whose men were almost exhausted, and the two pieces of Walton's battery, under Lieutenant Richardson, being threatened by the enemy's infantry on the left and front, were also obliged to fall back. Imboden, leaving a disabled piece on the ground, retired until he met Jackson's brigade, while Richardson joined the main body of his battery near the Lewis House. As our infantry retired from the extreme front, the two six-pounders of Latham's battery, before men tioned, fell back with excellent judgment to suitable positions in the rear, when an effective fire was maintained upon the still advancing lines of the Fed- | had made a stand there after having previously been eralists with damaging effect, until their ammunition was nearly exhausted, when they, too, were withdrawn in the near presence of the enemy, and rejoined their Captain. as far forward as the turnpike, where LieutenantColonel Johnson, an officer of brilliant promise, was killed, and other severe losses were sustained. Before our arrival upon the scene, General Jackson had moved forward with his brigade of five Vir From the point previously indicated, where General Johnston and myself had established our head-ginia regiments from his position in reserve, and had quarters, we heard the continuous roll of musketry and the sustained din of the artillery, which announced the serious outbursts of the battle on our left flank, and we anxiously, but confidently, awaited similar sounds of conflict from our front at Centreville, resulting from the prescribed attack in that quarter by our right wing. As soon as General Johnston and myself reached the field, we were occupied with the reorganization of the heroic troops, whose previous stand, with scarce a parallel, has nothing more valiant in all the pages of history, and whose losses fitly tell why, at length, their lines had lost their cohesion. It was now that General Johnston impressively and gal lantly charged to the front with the colors of the Fourth Alabama regiment by his side, all the fieldofficers of the regiment having been previously disabled. Shortly afterward I placed S. R. Gist, Adjutant and Inspector-General of South Carolina, a volunteer Aide-de-camp of General Bee, in command of this regiment, and who led it again to the front as became its previous behavior, and remained with it for the rest of the day. judiciously taken post below the brim of the plateau, nearly east of the Henry house, and to the left of the ravine and woods occupied by the mingled remnants of Bee's, Bartow's and Evans' commands, with Imboden's battery, and two of Stanard's pieces placed so as to play upon the oncoming enemy, supported in the immediate rear by Colonel J. L. PresAt half-past ten in the morning, however, this ton's and Lieutenant-Colonel Echoll's regiments, on expectation was dissipated, from Brigadier-General | the right by Harper's and on the left by Allen's and Ewell informing me, to my profound disappoint- Cumming's regiments. ment, that my orders for his advance had miscarried, but that, in consequence of a communication from General D. R. Jones, he had just thrown his brigade across the stream at Union Mills. But, in my judgment, it was now too late for the effective execution of the contemplated movement, which must have required quite three hours for the troops to get into position for the attack; therefore, it became immediately necessary to depend on new combinations and other dispositions suited to the now pressing exigency. The movement of the right and centre, already begun by Jones and Longstreet, was at once countermanded with the sanction of General Johnston, and we arranged to meet the enemy on the field upon which he had chosen to give us battle. Under these circumstances our reserves not already in movement were immediately ordered up to support our left flank, namely, Holmes' two regiments and battery of artillery, under Captain Lindsey Walker, of six guns, and Early's brigade. Two regiments from Bonham's brigade, with Kemp-forcements forward. At first he was unwilling, but er's four six-pounders, were also called for, and, with the sanction of General Johnston, Generals Ewell, Jones, (D. R.,) Longstreet and Bonham, were directed to make a demonstration to their several fronts to retain and engross the enemy's reserves and forces on their flank, and at and around Centreville. Previously, our respective chiefs of staff-Major Rhett and Colonel Jordan-had been left at my head-quarters to hasten up and give directions to any troops that might arrive at Manassas. These orders having been duly dispatched by staff officers, at 10.30 A. M., General Johnston and myself set out for the immediate field of action, which we reached in the rear of the Robinson and Widow Henry's houses, at about twelve м., and just as the commands of Bee, Bartow and Evans had taken shelter in a wooded ravine behind the former, stoutly held at the time by Hampton with his legion, which As soon as we had thus rallied and disposed our forces, I urged General Johnston to leave the immediate conduct of the field to me, while he, repairing to Portico-the Lewis house-should urge reen reminded that one of us must do so, and that properly it was his place, he reluctantly, but fortunately, complied; fortunately, because from that position, by his energy and sagacity, his keen perception and anticipation of my needs, he so directed the reserves as to insure the success of the day. As General Johnston departed for Portico, Colonel Bartow reported to me with the remains of the Seventh Georgia volunteers, (Gartrell's,) which I ordered him to post on the left of Jackson's line, in the edge of the belt of pines bordering the southeastern rim of the plateau, on which the battle was now to rage so long and so fiercely. Colonel Wm. Smith's battalion of the Forty-ninth Virginia volunteers having also come up by my or ders, I placed it on the left of Gartrell's as my extreme left at the time. Repairing then to the right, I placed Hampton's legion, which had suffered |